Etihad Airways had to make a ‘technical check’ and return a plane from Chennai to the ramp on Tuesday before take-off due to some technical problem, the airport said.
The aircraft, which is designated as EY343, flew with almost 260 passengers onboard when the problem was detected at Chennai International Airport. Authorities said the flight had not taken off and that all passengers had been safely disembarked, though they didn’t mention any injuries.
Etihad Airways said the aircraft had been shut down on the stand as a precaution because of the finding of a “technical snag”. Emergency services were also also sparked as per the safety regulations at Chennai airport but officials said there was no immediate risk for the passengers and crew.
Meanwhile, the airline said passenger safety and comfort was a top priority and that engineers were inspecting the airplane before re-scheduling the flight. The departure was to be three or four hours later.
The Chennai Airport authorities also got the incident and urged the passengers to keep in touch with their airlines for further updates on travel arrangements and other changes in the flight schedule.
It caused concerns for a moment for people at the airport but the situation was dealt with smoothly and in keeping of the normal aviation safety rules, officials said. Traveler assistance, and organization of support services, were observed during the delay by airline personnel.